This week, we’d like to help an 18 year old girl called Keira, who is living in a YMCA on her own after she had to flee her home.

Keira’s parents were incredibly violent and abusive towards her – sometimes making her siblings watch while they hit her. Keira ran away from home when she was 13, but had to return as she had nowhere to go. She saved up for the next few years so she could leave home, but her mum would take any money that she found, and so Keira was often left with nothing. Late last year, she had to go to A&E with an injury to her arm and told the nurses what was happening at home. She was placed in emergency shared accommodation and given a domestic violence support worker.

Keira is now living in YMCA accommodation without any furniture. She is all on her own but is managing to attend a sixth form college – the head of sixth form told us she is so polite and smiley with impeccable attendance.

Keira has shown so much bravery and is making the best of her situation – but we would like to give her some much-needed support and kindness and take some of the burden off her during her last year of school.

She has only asked for support to buy a proper bed, rug and television – but we’d also like to make sure she has any help she needs with school supplies, food, travel costs, clothing and any after school activities she would like to get involved in.